WEBVTT FRITZ: 1768 WHEN THE FIRSTSETTLERS ARRIVED HERE IN WHAT ISNOW THE TOWN OF AVENUE M -- INTHE TOWN OF EFFINGHAM IT WASCALL LEVITZ TOWN.THE TOWN HISTORY SAYS THE FIRSTPROPRIETORS MEETING WAS HELD INNORTH HAMPTON.AT THIS MEETING, THE AREA WASREFERRED TO AS A WILDERNESSWITHIN A WILDERNESS, SO THIS WASA TOUGH PLACE TO GET TO.BACK THEN, THERE WERE NO ROADSOR BRIDGES.MOST SETTLERS ARRIVED HERE BYBLAZED TRAILS.USUALLY THEY WALKED HERE LEADINGTHEIR HORSES OR OXEN AND COWS.ONE OF THE EARLIER SETTLERS WASTHE FIRST FARMER HERE TO PLANTPOTATOES.THE EFFINGHAM TOWN HISTORY HAS ASTORY OF HOW HE BROUGHT THE SEEDPOTATOES TO THE TOWN.THE POTATOES WERE IN T VERYHEAVY BAGS, TOO HEAVY FOR ONEMAN TO CARRY, BUT JAMES DID THEJOB IN A RELAY, AS IT WERE, WITHHIMSELF.HE CARRIED ONE OF THE HEAVY BAGSUNTIL HE GOT TIRED, THEN HE SETTHE BAG DOWN IT WENT BACK ANDGOT THE SECOND BAG AND CARRIEDTHAT UP TO THE PLACE HE LEFT THEFIRST BAG AND THEN BEYOND UNTILHE WAS TIRED AGAIN.HE WOULD S IT DOWN AND GO BACKTO THE BACK HE PASSED AND KERRYTHAT BEYOND.THE WALKS BACK WITHOUT A LOADWERE IN EFFECT A REST TIME.THUS WERE THE FIRST POTATOESGROWN IN EFFINGHAM.YOU MAY KNOW THAT NEW HAMPSHIREWAS THE FIRST PLACE POTATOESWERE EVER GROWN IN NORTHAMERICA.THE SCOTS IRISH SETTLEMENT INDERRY PLANTED THE FIRST CRO AND1719.JAMES WAS A TRUE PIONEER.THAT SAME WINTER HE ARRIVED INEFFINGHAM, HE KILLED TWO BEARS.THEY WERE THEN LOADED ONTO ASLED AND HE TOW IT THROUGH THESNOW BY HAND ALL THE WAY DOWN TOPORTSMOUTH WHERE HE SOLD THEANIMALS FOR SALT, WHICH HEHAULED BACK ON THAT SAME SLED.SALT BACK THEN WAS AS GOOD ASCURRENCY.